"Our God Is In The Business of "Miracles" 

I am blessed to be writing my devotional to you this week from the 7th day of my 12-day vacation with my family and friends here in Northern Virginia.  I generally attempt to share what’s on my heart because that’s what seems to just flow, so my thoughts this week, and last week, like so many of you, I’m sure, focused on what can only be described “as a miracle.”  I am, of course, referring to the 12-member Thai youth soccer team and their coach trapped in a cave in northern Thailand for 18 days from June 23 until the separate miraculous rescues of all 13, concluding on Tuesday, July 10^th.  Miracle!

Even if one could give a count of the miracles that are described in the Bible, we know that there are many more unaccounted for, because it would be impossible to give an accurate accounting of “miracles” in the Bible, or elsewhere.  There is only one thing that can probably be safely stated about a miracle, and that is, you know it when you see or experience one.  Didn’t we all hear, or say ourselves, when the last rescues took place on Tuesday, “That was just a miracle” or “What a miracle”?  Would you be able to define to anyone what you meant when uttering such a thought?  It can’t really be put into words, but suffice it to say, you just “know that you know” it was another one of God’s miracles. I know that I seemingly speak that with such authority, and I do, because of my belief in the awesome power of an ever-present God.

I believe everyone has been filled with awe to have witnessed the immeasurable acts of God’s intervening power and spirit to bring all of this to such a “miraculous” conclusion. As believers, and hopefully, even for those who profess (for now) not to be, let’s give all thanks and praise, for this recent miracle, and all other seen and unforeseen ones, to our AWEsome God. He reigns!   (Behold, the Lord’s eye is upon those who fear Him, who revere and worship Him with awe, who wait for Him and hope in His mercy and loving-kindness. Psalm 33:18; Be in awe and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations.  I will be exalted throughout the earth. Psalm 46:10; And all men shall reverently fear and be in awe; and they will declare the work of God, for they will wisely consider and acknowledge that it is His doing. Psalm 64;9;Then everyone was astounded, and they were giving glory to God.  And they were filled with awe and said, “We have seen incredible things today.” Luke 5:26. “And they were filled with great awe and feared exceedingly and said to one another, Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey Him? Mark 4:41).

Have a very blessings-filled weekend and week to follow. We invite and welcome you to join us Sundays at Grace Harbor for Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m., where the Book of Romans(16) is currently the study, and Sunday Worship Service and Children’s Sunday School at 10:00 a.m.  

Love In Him, Charlotte Adams

"Keeping Score?"

Psalm 130:3  "If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?"

Many of us love to keep score. It is the fundamental element of measure in sports. It is the measure of success for the "almighty GPA" in school. In our obsession to control and opine, it is the foundation if "oneupsmanship".

The score is the ultimate determiner of winners and losers. We love the score. Especially when we win. Who got the most votes? 51% or better yet 50.1% means we are best or right or comparatively better, right? I hear that 46.9% of statistics are made up. (lol) What is it about the score? Maybe just an ongoing game to make ourselves feel better more than half the time.

Aren't you glad God isn't keeping score? It is a relief to trust His perfect judgment and grace. Imagine if we received red checkmarks for all our sins and misdeeds, all our missteps and misunderstandings. O Lord have mercy on us. None of us could stand if He kept score. But, He doesn't, and we do too often.

When l woke up this morning l wept because of His grace toward me. His mercy was renewed and l got a fresh start. I can face my earthly consequences because He paid the ultimate price with His perfect sacrifice. When l get to this place, l see everybody differently. With the eyes of my heart. How about you? What's the score? You winning?

Humbly,
Pastor Fred 

"The One In Charge"

Psalm 138:3 "In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.."

God did not remove all of David's troubles, and He won't remove all of ours, even though we cry out like David for God to do so. We are not to treat God as a genie in a lamp who grants all our whims and wishes. Sometimes God takes us out of our trouble, but more often He stands with us and walks with us through it.

God always answers when His children cry out to Him, every good Father does. He may not answer us the way we want to be answered, or when we want to be answered, but He always answers. God will often give strength, or confidence in our souls to help us face trouble. Boldness and strength come not because we get everything we want at the exact moment we ask for it, but because God is in charge. He knows what we need. So we trust Him.

Working on this principle with you.
Pastor Fred 

"Freedom in Christ"

Galatians 5:1,13
1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. 13 You my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

As we just celebrated our freedom this 4^th of July, I hope we all know the true price for that freedom. Our freedom came at the expense of God’s only son our Lord Jesus Christ, for only through Him do we really have true freedom.

I hope that in between family, friends, food, and fireworks we all took a moment to meditate on all those who have sacrificed so much so that we could have this day, especially Christ our Savior.

Rejoice in the Lord,
Vicky Tucker

“Elohim Chayim”

Joshua 3:10
Joshua said, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will certainly drive out before you the  Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites."

Our God, the only True God is not an idol. He is not made of wood or clay, or silver. He is not an animal or part of nature, or a word or poem. He does not live in buildings nor does He need us to exist. He is God Almighty, Elohim Chayim. He always was and always will be.

He not only is pre-existent He also is the source of life itself. He is the resurrection and the Life. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is all in all. He has authority over life and death. Authority over all that is living. Everything that has life only lives because of Him.

Wow…how amazing is He? He is among us and goes before us and has taken up spiritual residence inside of us. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. He breathes into everyone as the breath of life and we are living souls.

Praise the Living God!
Pastor Fred

"Praying His Word" 

"So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
1 Kings 3:9

I have recently been studying and praying "back to God" the prayers from the Bible. In particular, at 8:18 p.m. each evening when I pray for the church, I pray these on behalf of Grace Harbor. No matter what the circumstances of the original prayer, they always seem to be application to us.

This prayer is Solomon asking God for wisdom in making decisions for the people of God. Right now our church and school leaders are making decisions about construction, class space. Where will we meet? How will we have services? What enhancements can we do? Etc. My prayer for our leaders is as Solomon prayed. Help them distinguish the right thing to do.

Try praying the prayers back to God- it takes the focus off you. Just google prayers of the Bible- there are several resources.

Prayerfully,
Angie Wahl

"Thank God for Everything" - Max Lucado
 
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1Thessalonians 5:18
 
I read about a lawyer who won a case for his client. The two men celebrated with a nice dinner. At the end of the meal, the client handed the lawyer a fine wallet made o Moroccan leather. “Please accept this as my token of appreciation.” The lawyer resisted. “No, I can’t settle for a wallet. My fee is $500.” The client looked at the lawyer and shrugged. “Whatever you say”. He opened the wallet and extracted ten $100 bills. He reinserted five of the bills and handed the lawyer the wallet.

Don’t be too quick in your assessment of God’s gift to you. Thank him. Moment by moment. Day by day. Meal by meal. Thank God for...EVERYTHING.
 
Max Lucado - God is with you Every Day Devotional